‘Who do I take her to, Rusty? Do you know anyone who could cure her?’
Rusty ran the back of his hand under his nose: a gesture that showed his irritation.
‘Cure her? No one can cure her! What’s the matter with you? Are you crazy?’
I held onto my temper. This was important to me. If I could get her cured, she would be a gold mine. I knew it. I was absolutely sure of it.
‘You’ve been around, Rusty. You get to hear things. Who’s the guy who really fixes these junkies?
There must be someone. The movie world is crammed with junkies. They get cured. Who’s the guy who fixes them?’
Rusty rubbed the back of his neck, scowling.
‘Sure, but those folk have money. A cure costs money. There is a guy, but from what I hear he costs plenty.’
‘Well, okay, maybe I can borrow the money. I’ve got to get her cured. Who is he?’
‘Dr. Klinzi,’ Rusty said. He suddenly grinned. ‘You’re killing me. He’s way out of your class, but he’s the boy. He’s the one who cured Mona Gissing and Frankie Ledder,’ naming two of Pacific Studio’s biggest stars. ‘They were muggle smokers, but he fixed them.’
‘Where do I find him?’
‘He’s in the book,’ Rusty said. ‘Look, Jeff, you’re making a fool of yourself. This guy costs the earth.’
‘I don’t care what he costs so long as he can cure her. I’ll sell him a piece of her. She’s going to make a fortune. I feel it in my bones. With that voice, she can’t go wrong.’
‘You’re nuts.’
‘Okay, so I’m nuts.’
I got Dr. Klinzi’s address from the telephone book. He had a place on Beverley Glyn Boulevard.
Watching me, Rusty said, ‘Listen to me, Jeff. I know what I’m talking about. The worst thing anyone can do is to get tangled with a junky. You can never trust them. They are dangerous. They haven’t the sense of responsibility sane people have. They are crazy in the head. You have got to face that fact. It’s not like dealing with normal people. They will do anything and they don’t count the cost. Get rid of this girl. She’ll only bring you grief. You just can’t mix yourself up with a girl like her.’
‘Save it,’ I said. ‘What are you worrying about? I’m not asking you for any donation.’
I walked out and caught the street car back to my rooming-house.
Rima was sitting up in bed when I walked into her room. She had on a pair of black pyjamas. With her silver hair and her cobalt blue eyes, she really looked something.
‘I’m hungry.’
‘I’ll have those words engraved on your head stone. Never mind how hungry you are. Who gave you the money for a shot last night?’
Her eyes shifted away from mine.
‘I didn’t have a shot. I’m starving. Will you lend me…?’
‘Oh, shut up! If I can fix it, will you take a cure?’
Her expression became sullen.
‘I’ve got beyond a cure. I know. It’s no good talking about a cure.’
‘There’s a guy who really can fix it. If I can persuade him to take you, will you go?’
‘Who is he?’
‘Dr. Klinzi. He fixes all the big-shot film stars. I might be able to talk him into fixing you.’
‘Some chance! It’d be cheaper to give me some money. I don’t want much…’
I grabbed hold of her and shook her. Her breath against my face made me feel sick.
‘Will you go to him if I can fix it?’ I yelled at her.
She jerked away from me.
‘Anything you say.’
I felt I was going out of my head myself, but I kept control of myself.
‘Okay, I’ll talk to him. Stay right where you are. I’ll tell Carrie to bring you a cup of coffee and something to eat.’
I left her.
At the head of the stairs, I called down to Carrie to get a hamburger and a coffee and take it to Rima.
Then I went into my room and put on my best suit. It wasn’t much. It was shiny in places, but by the time I had slicked down my hair, brushed my shoes, I didn’t look too much of a bum.
I went back into Rima’s room.
She was sitting up in bed, sipping the coffee. She wrinkled her nose at me.
‘Gee! You look sharp.’
‘Never mind how I look. Sing. Go on: sing anything, but sing.’
She stared at me.
‘Anything?’
‘Yes – sing!’
She began to sing
The melody came out of her mouth effortlessly, like a silver stream. It crawled up my spine and into the roots of my hair. It filled the room with a clear, bell-like sound. It was better than I thought it could be.
I stood there listening, and when she had gone through the chorus, I stopped her.
‘Okay, okay,’ I said, my heart thumping. ‘You stay right here. I’ll be back.’
I went down the stairs three at a time.
II
Dr. Klinzi’s residence stood in an acre and a half of ornamental gardens, surrounded by high walls, the tops of which were studded with sharp iron spikes.
I walked up the long drive. It took me three or four minutes of fast walking before I caught sight of a house that looked like a movie set for Cosimo Medici’s palace in Florence.
There was a big terrace with fifty or so steps leading up to it. The top rooms had bars to the windows.
Everything about the house and the grounds was sombre and very, very quiet. Even the roses and the begonias seemed depressed.
Well away from the drive, under the shade of the elm trees, I could see several people sitting in wheel chairs. Three or four nurses, in gleaming white overalls, fluttered around them.
I climbed the steps and rang the front door bell.
After a moment or so, the door was opened by a grey man with grey hair, grey eyes, grey clothes and a grey manner.
I gave him my name.
Wordlessly, he led me over a gleaming parquet floor to a side-room where a slim, blonde nurse sat at a desk, busy with pencil and paper.
‘Mr. Gordon,’ the grey man said.
He pushed a chair against the back of my knees so I sat down abruptly and then went away, shutting the door after him as gently as if it were made of spun glass.
The nurse laid down her pen and said in a gentle voice and with a sad smile in her eyes, ‘Yes, Mr.
Gordon? Is there something we can do for you?’
‘I hope so.’ I said. ‘I want to talk to Dr. Klinzi about a possible patient.’
‘It could be arranged.’ I was aware that her eyes were going over my suit. ‘Who is the patient, Mr.
Gordon?’
‘I’ll explain al that to Dr. Klinzi.’
‘I’m afraid the doctor is engaged at the moment. You can have complete confidence in me. I arrange who comes here and who doesn’t.’
‘That must be pret y nice for you,’ I said, ‘but this happens to be a special case. I want to talk to Dr.
